Super-efficient LED lighting now a real possibility within five years

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The quest for cheaper, more environmentally-friendly lighting has taken another leap forward with scientists’ new-found ability to produce much cheaper LEDs.

The New Scientist article goes into quite significant detail about how the process was achieved in order to avoid the LEDs cracking during the manufacturing process (due to the high heat required to grow them) so I won’t attempt to look clever here by regurgitating it.

Suffice it to say, the “new” LEDs can be produced for around a tenner per 150,000 units…

CES 2009: Samsung reveals huge range of new LCD and plasma HD tellies

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I knew that not long after reeling off LG’s massive line of new HDTVs then along would come someone else with lots of TVs to brag about.

That’s Samsung.

Here we go, then, with the latest high definition TVs from the South Korean technology giant.

First on the list is the new 8000, 7000, and 6000 Series of LED HDTVs which boast better environmental credentials and over 40% less energy usage to LCD TVs of a similar size. Fortunately, Dan’s already done a sterling job reviewing these tellies so I’ll move on to Samsung’s other new displays…

Apple launches LED Cinema Display designed specifically for MacBook

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Apple wants you to treat your new MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air to a fantastic display, and so it’s revamped its Cinema Display just for the new family of notebook computers.

The crystal clear 24-inch LED-backlit widescreen monitor has iSight camera and speakers built in, and comes with a three-in-one cable with a MagSafe power connector, Mini DisplayPort, and USB connection…

Lightbulbs to replace Wi-Fi?

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Researchers at the University of Boston have managed to come up with a way of transferring data through lightbulbs. It’s not quite as crazy as it sounds – fiberoptics uses light to transmit data, but in a much more focused way. The researchers propose to use LEDs flickering at imperceptible speeds to communicate with network-enabled devices at speeds of between 1 and 10Mbps.

Although that’s not very fast for video streaming or online gaming, it’s more than enough for an internet enabled fridge, photoframe or printer. Those kinds of devices are the target that these researchers are going after – bringing the digital home one step closer to reality…

LaCie announces 700 Series of LCD monitors for creative pros

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LaCie has announced its new line of LCD monitors, the 700 Series, aimed at creative professionals who need accurate on-screen colour reproduction to be confident about what will be printed.

Available in 20, 24, and 30-inch models, the monitors feature RGB LED backlighting, offering purer red, green and blue colour for a larger range of colours — up to 123% of the Adobe RGB spectrum, in fact…

Glow away in blue with this USB LED light tube speaker

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There’s no shortage of things you can plug in to a spare USB port these days, but this looks a little more classy than a humping dog, and it plays your tunes, too.

Brando’s USB LED Light Tube Speaker offers stereo sound, a built-in blue LED tube (funny that), and is powered from the USB port, so no need for mains power. Use the audio lead to plug in to PC, laptop, or MP3 player, and you’re away…

New MacBooks to contain LED backlit screens, boost Greenpeace's opinion on Apple

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Added to the multi-touch trackpads, slimmer and lighter frames and potential new aluminum casings, MacBooks will soon be outfitted with LED backlights.

According to DigiTimes, a Taiwanese BLU manufacturer Kenmos Technology will provide Apple with the LED units for their new MacBook range, in addition to the MacBook Airs and Pros which already feature the technology. Little else is known about the deal, however this is one step closer to the birth of a new, green Apple, with LED…